A “willingness to release fear in the face of what you don’t understand— intense integrity practice, in other words.” I love this combination of words so much. It rings 100% true—I just hadn’t thought of it exactly like that before. Merci!
I had not heard of Bernice shedding her mortal body. immediately I think of BREATHS, the first of Sweet honeys songs to touch me to the core. And then of her introduction to the ballad of HarryT Moore when she reminds us that we’re all going to die anyway so “make a difference!”
Not a week goes by that I’m not humming a Sweet Honey song.
She was a force. Bless her. May we each do honor to her memory ❤️💪🔆
I'm reminded of what I wrote about my dad at the very end of his eulogy:
He will return, as we all do, to the vast ocean of Spirit and whatever wisdom he accrued will live on in we who loved him and those who are apportioned some piece of his Light to carry forward. No piece of matter ever dies, it just changes form. And my father, as big as he was, will live on in infinite forms forever.
Beautiful piece. I love Sweet Honey in the Rock and found them in the late 80s. In our family, there was no religion, but we all felt the desire to be of service in one way or another. I have always fought against the idea that humans need religion to be “good” (moral, integral, of service), but it certainly can speed up the process of living such a life. Punk rock and mosh pits were incredibly helpful in expressing my fury at my abuser and the whole system that supported him. As the pendulum swings, organic gardener/teacher, I have to laugh at the reels on social of old, punk gardeners. I like to think we keep taking the radical courses, outside the norm, pushing the envelope in new ways, to help bring balance to the world.
"Expanding our idea of what serving the world looks like"--yes, that's where I am, too. In this time of so much anxiety and fear and threat, it feels revolutionary to suggest that we serve best through doing what brings us joy. And it feels right.
This is so timely. I grew up Catholic in Baltimore, Maryland with the folk mass in the 70s and 80s. My father was a Green Beret in Vietnam, then came home to be a fire fighter. My mother was a teacher. The commitment to service, though, came from my dad. He is the person who would give you the shirt off his back, climb a ladder, build whatever you needed, whenever you needed it. Service is my love language, both giving and receiving - though I do understand that my mother would rather have gifts, and have changed my giving status to recognize what the other person ACTUALLY wants.
We both grew up with powerful music guiding us. I love the thought about the *I* songs. Very interesting to look at it from that angle. What are YOU taking action on? How are YOU contributing? Where are YOU showing up? Accountability. Since I got laid off, I haven’t been giving as much money as I used to give to charities, and this year I told myself that I would volunteer at least one time to do something, and I did it. I did some clean up with the alumni of my college at a park. I had forgotten what service for a greater cause felt like. Sure, I did the women’s march and I did one of the other ones, but that’s a little different than showing up and doing the work. It’s easy to forget how good that feels.
Asha Sanaker: Bring me a little water Sylvie! WHEW! Thank you for this gift of light.
A “willingness to release fear in the face of what you don’t understand— intense integrity practice, in other words.” I love this combination of words so much. It rings 100% true—I just hadn’t thought of it exactly like that before. Merci!
I had not heard of Bernice shedding her mortal body. immediately I think of BREATHS, the first of Sweet honeys songs to touch me to the core. And then of her introduction to the ballad of HarryT Moore when she reminds us that we’re all going to die anyway so “make a difference!”
Not a week goes by that I’m not humming a Sweet Honey song.
She was a force. Bless her. May we each do honor to her memory ❤️💪🔆
Breaths is one of my favorites, too. ❤️
Oh thank you for writing about Bernice!! I cried when I heard the news through Toshi's post.
You and I both grew up with Sweet Honey's sounds in our lives. And I love that I could hear Bernice's voice in your piece.
That woman had strength, grace, a beautiful voice, and so so much perseverance.
She's been constantly in my thoughts since I got the news. I couldn't have written about anything else!
She was a giant, and though I know that her spirit will remain always, I still feel her loss like a hole in the fabric of the world.
I think we can all still feel her. Her energy could never be extinguished.
I'm reminded of what I wrote about my dad at the very end of his eulogy:
He will return, as we all do, to the vast ocean of Spirit and whatever wisdom he accrued will live on in we who loved him and those who are apportioned some piece of his Light to carry forward. No piece of matter ever dies, it just changes form. And my father, as big as he was, will live on in infinite forms forever.
That’s beautiful.
Asha Sanaker: Very well said!
Beautiful piece. I love Sweet Honey in the Rock and found them in the late 80s. In our family, there was no religion, but we all felt the desire to be of service in one way or another. I have always fought against the idea that humans need religion to be “good” (moral, integral, of service), but it certainly can speed up the process of living such a life. Punk rock and mosh pits were incredibly helpful in expressing my fury at my abuser and the whole system that supported him. As the pendulum swings, organic gardener/teacher, I have to laugh at the reels on social of old, punk gardeners. I like to think we keep taking the radical courses, outside the norm, pushing the envelope in new ways, to help bring balance to the world.
"Expanding our idea of what serving the world looks like"--yes, that's where I am, too. In this time of so much anxiety and fear and threat, it feels revolutionary to suggest that we serve best through doing what brings us joy. And it feels right.
This is so timely. I grew up Catholic in Baltimore, Maryland with the folk mass in the 70s and 80s. My father was a Green Beret in Vietnam, then came home to be a fire fighter. My mother was a teacher. The commitment to service, though, came from my dad. He is the person who would give you the shirt off his back, climb a ladder, build whatever you needed, whenever you needed it. Service is my love language, both giving and receiving - though I do understand that my mother would rather have gifts, and have changed my giving status to recognize what the other person ACTUALLY wants.
We both grew up with powerful music guiding us. I love the thought about the *I* songs. Very interesting to look at it from that angle. What are YOU taking action on? How are YOU contributing? Where are YOU showing up? Accountability. Since I got laid off, I haven’t been giving as much money as I used to give to charities, and this year I told myself that I would volunteer at least one time to do something, and I did it. I did some clean up with the alumni of my college at a park. I had forgotten what service for a greater cause felt like. Sure, I did the women’s march and I did one of the other ones, but that’s a little different than showing up and doing the work. It’s easy to forget how good that feels.
Thanks for the reminder.
Yes! Showing up and doing the work, as you say, is so different. It’s not possible for everyone, but if it is it’s worth it. ❤️